Equipped To Survive Equipped To Survive® Presents
The Survival Forum
Where do you want to go on ETS?

Topic Options
#125703 - 02/29/08 01:33 AM Difference in oropharyngeal airways
SARbound Offline
Addict

Registered: 06/08/05
Posts: 503
Loc: Quebec City, Canada
I'm looking to buy a few kits of oropharyngeal airways to complement some first-responder kits.

I see that the real "Guedel" ones are pretty nice with their colored tips and sexy shape, however I have seen several "generic" variations that seem to be pretty much the same, for a quarter of the price.

Is there any real difference between all these?

Thanks.
_________________________
-----
"The only easy day was yesterday."

Top
#125712 - 02/29/08 02:25 AM Re: Difference in oropharyngeal airways [Re: SARbound]
CJK Offline
Addict

Registered: 08/14/05
Posts: 601
Loc: FL, USA
I've never seen a difference in them.....I trained in NYC and have been a medic since 1993. Never noticed a difference. Hope this helps.

Top
#125718 - 02/29/08 03:06 AM Re: Difference in oropharyngeal airways [Re: SARbound]
Alan_Romania Offline

Addict

Registered: 06/29/05
Posts: 648
Loc: Arizona
Like anything in EMS and medicine, you will get a variety of opinions. I have yet to find a design of an oropharyngeal airway (OPA) that didn't work. Some like the Berman-style OPAs (those that are built like an I-Beam) because they are easy to suction around... and there is some validity to that but I have yet to have an issue suctioning around an OPA. Some like the color-coded OPAs (Rusch or Guedel) you mentioned because of the color code... which in my experience only makes restocking easier after a call.

My preferred OPAs are made by Hudson. These are the common transparent green airways that are semi-flexible. I prefer these because they seem to not clog as easily as the Guedel airways, are not as rigid and they hold up in the heat much better.

Both the Guedels and Berman airways are susceptible to deformation while stored in the heat. The Guedels/Rusch airways are especially effected by heat, with the flanges cracking and rolling when stored for any period of time in over 100deg heat. The Hudson OPAs do get softer when hot, but even here in Hades The Valley of the Sun they still work just fine.

In the end, all work, and any one is better then not having any. Before carrying OPAs I would get the proper training and of course, make sure it is within your scope of care where you live and work.

OPAs are good, but if you are allowed and you need to choose between the two due to weight/space considerations, consider only carrying Nasopharyngeal airways (NPA). If space/weight isn't an issue... carry both.


Edited by Alan_Romania (02/29/08 01:58 PM)
_________________________
"Trust in God --and press-check. You cannot ignore danger and call it faith." -Duke

Top
#125760 - 02/29/08 01:15 PM Re: Difference in oropharyngeal airways [Re: Alan_Romania]
paramedicpete Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 04/09/02
Posts: 1920
Loc: Frederick, Maryland
Really nothing more to add then, I completely agree with all of Alan’s observations and comments.

Pete

Top



Moderator:  Alan_Romania, Blast, chaosmagnet, cliff 
March
Su M Tu W Th F Sa
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
Who's Online
0 registered (), 324 Guests and 6 Spiders online.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
GallenR, Jeebo, NicholasMarshall, Yadav, BenFoakes
5367 Registered Users
Newest Posts
What did you do today to prepare?
by dougwalkabout
Yesterday at 11:21 PM
Zippo Butane Inserts
by dougwalkabout
Yesterday at 11:11 PM
Question about a "Backyard Mutitool"
by Ren
03/17/24 01:00 AM
Problem in my WhatsApp configuration
by Chisel
03/09/24 01:55 PM
New Madrid Seismic Zone
by Jeanette_Isabelle
03/04/24 02:44 PM
EDC Reduction
by EchoingLaugh
03/02/24 04:12 PM
Using a Compass Without a Map
by KenK
02/28/24 12:22 AM
Newest Images
Tiny knife / wrench
Handmade knives
2"x2" Glass Signal Mirror, Retroreflective Mesh
Trade School Tool Kit
My Pocket Kit
Glossary
Test

WARNING & DISCLAIMER: SELECT AND USE OUTDOORS AND SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES AND TECHNIQUES AT YOUR OWN RISK. Information posted on this forum is not reviewed for accuracy and may not be reliable, use at your own risk. Please review the full WARNING & DISCLAIMER about information on this site.